Pop-up target



oct 1s, 1957 C. o. MUSSER 2,809,836

POP-UP TARGET Filed June 29, 1956 C24/A? @MAR Massei?,

f gw@ W POP-UP TARGET Clair Omar Musser, Studio City, Calif., assignor to Knickerbocker Plastic Co. Inc., North Hollywood, Calif., a corporation of California Application June 29, 1956, Serial No. 594,855

S Claims. (Cl. 273-1021) This invention relates to new and improved toy targets, and more specifically to toy targets of the so-called popup variety.

The toy field is at this time an extremely competitive industry where minor advances or improvements frequently make the difference between commercial success and failure. Currently there is a demand for toy targets capable of being used with projectiles fired from spring loaded toy pistols and the like. Obviously toy targets as a class have long been known. In order to make such targets attractive for commercial purposes it `is necessary to incorporate within them some sort of an operative mechanism providing other results than are conventionally achieved with targets.

A basic object of this invention is to provide in toy `targets an -operative mechanism which serves to release part of the target itself when the target is correctly engaged by a projectile so that the released part pops up or is otherwise propelled away from the basic part of the target itself. For convenience of explanation the basic part of such a target is termed herein a target surface,

although this part may include other than mere means defining a surface. The term target member is employed in this specification to designate the part of a toy target which is adapted to be ejected from the target surface when the target is correctly engaged; and the term target actuator is used to describe the part of the target which is adapted to be engaged by a projectile so as to cause ejectment of the target member. These terms are not to be taken as limiting the invention since they are only employed for descriptive purposes.

Another basic object of the invention is to providetoy targets of the pop-up variety which can be assembled for shipment or display in approximately the final operative configuration, and which are incapable of being operated so as to eject a target member when so assembled. This is considered to be important for commercial reasons since toy targets of this invention cannot be satisfactorily shipped when assembled in an operative mannerA without special shipping precautions because of the danger of the target actuators employed with them being engaged so as to operate the targets themselves. It is also con" sidered important since the purchasing public likes to play with toys on display. If the pop-up targets of the invention were displayed after being assembled in an operative manner difficulties would arise from actuation of these targets by prospective purchasers. The essential nature of the toy targets herein described can be visualized by assembling these devices as indicated in this paragraph, and yet when so assembled these toy targets cannot be actuated.

Further objects of the present invention are to provide toy targets which are simple and inexpensive to construct and which are very reliable in operation. Another object of the invention is to provide toy targets which may be considered child-proof in that they'are very difficult to damage. Stillfurther objects of the invention as well ate-nf o ICC . as many specific advantages of it will be more fully apparent from the remainder of this description, the apof Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken at line 3 3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cross sectional view taken at line 4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational view of toy target shown in Fig. l showing this toy target assembled in an inoperative manner for display, shipment or the like;

Fig.` 6 is a cross sectional view taken at line 6-6 of Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is an expanded view showing the construction of various parts employed in the toy target illustrated.

In all figures of the drawing like numerals designate the same parts. It is to be understood that this invention is not to be considered as being limited in any respect by the accompanying drawing inasmuch as the relative sizes and shapes of the various parts employed can beV changed through the mere exercise of routine engineering skill. Further, the essential appearance of the toy target illustrated can be altered in any desired manner so as to achieve various commercial sales potentials. As an example of this, one embodiment of the target of this invention is formed so as to illustrate a common nurseryr rhyme with a figure sitting upon a wall. When the y target is actuated this figure literally pops off the wall. In order to understand this invention it may be statedinessentially summary form that it involves targets of the class indicated, each of which includes: a target sur' face; a target member removably mounted adjacent to this target surface; a target actuator positioned adjacent to the target surface; and means mounted on the target surface `connecting the target actuator and the target member so that when said target actuator is engaged by a projectile under 'force the target member is caused to be ejected away from the target surface. v The invention is more precisely summarized and/or defined in detail by the appended claims.

In order to understand the actual nature of theY invention it is necessary to refer to the various figures of the drawing showing what may be considered a preferred embodiment of it. Here there is shown a toy target 10 having a target surface 12 formed of a sheet of pressed board or the like. This surface is adapted to be held in a vertical position by means of bases 14 engaging it in a conventional manner; it can obviously be mounted or supported by other equivalent means. Upon the rearof the surface 12 there is located a generally U-shaped spring retainer 16 having an open top 18, a bottom slot 20, and a side opening 22. This spring retainer 16 is formed so l that a generally U shaped lever arm 24 may be positioned opening 22 in order to eng-age the wall of a notch 34 formed in an arm 36 extending `from the back of a target member 38 when this Farm 36 is positioned within the spring retainer 16 so as to compress the spring 28. In effect the projection 32 serves as aI latch mem-ber,'and

the projection 32 and the notch 34 together serve essen..

in its forwardmost position and disposed out of contact with said arm when said actuator is in its rearwardmost position, so that rearward movement of said actuator in response to the impact of a projectile frees said arm from the restraint of said latch means and permits said arm and the attached target member to move under the influence of said spring.

5. A pop-up target comprising a target surface having front and rear sides, a member positioned on the rear side of said target surface and having an open passage extending from one of its ends, a target member separate from said target surface and having front and rear faces and being disposed adjacent to an edge of said target surface v actuator for movement therewith and including a portion disposed in locking engagement with said arm when said actuator is in its forwardmost position and'disposed out of contact with said arm when said actuator is in its rear- 6 wardmost position, and spring means applying a force tending to move said actuator toits forwardmost position and applying a force to said arm tending to eject said arm from said passage, whereby rearward movement of said actuator in response to the impact of a projectile frees said arm from the restraint of said latch means and permits said arm land the attached target member to y away from said target surface under the influence of said spring means.

References Cited in the file of thisl patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,002,240 McClintock Sept. 5, 1911 1,025,226 Wood May 7, 1912 1,212,942 Hart Ian. 16,1917 1,282,358 Arden Oct. 22, 1918 1,437,699 Wylie Dec. 5, 1922 2,503,877 Kummerlein Apr. 11, 1950 2,801,854 Trudeau Aug. 6, 1957 FOREIGN PATENTS 656,623 Great Britain Aug. 29, 1951 

